Introduction
It used to be the case that to eat really
well in Budapest, you either had to do some homework in advance, pay top whack at a fancy
restaurant, or stay with a local family to enjoy the authentic taste of a Hungarian kitchen.
While our friends at Pestiside
reckon that's still the case, we think they're being a bit harsh on restaurateurs in the
Hungarian capital. Nowadays, every major world cuisine is
represented here. So, as well as hearty traditional feasts, you can go Italian, Chinese,
Japanese, Mexican or even Russian.
Contrary to widespread belief, Hungarian cooking isn't
all gulyás (goulash) and heavily spiced paprika dishes, just in the same way as Italian
isn't all pasta and Indian hot spices. Hungarian dishes have a distinctive, unmistakable character
of their own, often rich with sour cream, onions, eggs, butter and wine. An abundance of good local
produce, meat and fish make for dishes such as Halászlé (Fish soup), Sült libamájszelet (pan-fried goose liver), Almával töltött fácán (pheasant
stuffed with apples), Szarvastokány erdei
gombával (venison stew with wild mushrooms) and Fogasszelet bakonyi módra (fillet of pike-perch Bakony
style). Vegetarians fair less well though with a Hungarian diet that's traditionally meat heavy.
Although vegetarian restaurants do exist here, they're largely sombre affairs which compare
unfavourably to those in London or Paris. Most traditional restaurants will offer fried
mushrooms (rántott gomba), Trappista sajt (Trappist cheese in breadcrumbs) or egg dishes,
but that's about all. Surprisingly, you'll stand a better chance of success with hotel food, albeit
at extra cost.
Restaurateurs in Budapest are also realising (not before
time) that tourists and locals alike are becoming ever more demanding in their search for good
food. The traditional fondness for cooking with lard seems in decline, chefs now show restraint by
not going thermo-nuclear on meat, and waiter service is improving. There are still places that
serve up stodgy, unattractive dishes with sky high calorie counts, but they are very much in a
minority.
Mercifully, menus are usually printed in German and
English, while major credit cards are widely accepted. By law, restaurants must clearly list prices on their menus. If
they don't go elsewhere. Check the bill carefully too as overcharging in Budapest is not
uncommon.
Choose Cuisine Type:
Budapest Cafés
If you're looking for the true café experience but
can't afford Vienna, then Budapest is the next best thing. While many of the late 19th-century
coffeehouses are now long gone, some such as the New York
and Gerbeaud uphold the fine tradition,
retaining much of their period charm and elegance.
You'll also soon realise that Hungary is a nation of coffee drinkers. Consumed
throughout the day with alarming frequency, tiny glasses of super-strong black expresso (kávé) are the most popular. For a milky coffee, ask for
tejeskávé, while tejszínhabbal comes with whipped cream.
Tea, which is popular with younger Hungarians, is enjoyed in the
(usually laid back) surroundings of a teaház. In recent years, these have popped up
all over the city and offer a wide variety of teas, along with light snacks and pastries.
Budapest's cukrászdas (patisseries) are the place to go for calorific
mouth watering cakes, pastries and ice cream. Choosing isn't easy though. Most have a selection of
well over a dozen cakes (dobos, diós and ananász torta being among the favourites), while there are
also pancakes (stuffed with fruit or nuts) and strudels (rétes) containing cream cheese,
cherries or other fillings.
For the low-down on the best places see our café pages.
Budapest Bars & Pubs
Before taking a look at our comprehensive bar
and pub guide, it's worth spending a short time familiarising yourself with beers, wines and spirits
produced in Hungary. After all you can't put a price on a good education! Unlike England, which has
seen a rejuvenation over the last decade or so of its traditional pubs, the mainstays of the
Hungarian scene borozó (wine cellars) and sörözo (beer halls) have changed little
in forty years. The vast majority are simple, downmarket affairs, which make few concessions to
foreign visitors. In borozó, wine is served by the decilitre and is often mixed with soda
water (fröccs) making a kind of 'Hungarian spritzer'.
Beer and lager, which traditionally are not nearly as popular as wine or
spirits, come in pint equivalents (korsó) or the much smaller pohár. If you don't
fancy trying out a local sörözo, there are plenty of upmarket bars and pubs in the
downtown area. We've listed the best of them here - our criteria being the selection and price of
drinks stocked, atmosphere and location.
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